The Catskill Chronicle

Story and photos by Ted Waddell

[JEFFERSONVILLE] – On Friday, September 4, the home team Bulldogs of Sullivan West (2-0) hosted the Monticello Panthers (0-2) in a boy’s varsity soccer match.

At the end of 80-minutes of regulation play, the Bulldogs walked off the field with a 2-1 win over their opponents.

Sullivan West scored first with 14:17 remaining in the first frame on a goal by Chris Ellison, a senior captain, off an assist from Lucas Bauer. Monticello tied in up 1-1 at 8:17 as Jason Pabon scored off an assist from Steven Ruggiero.

In the middle of the second half, the Bulldogs scored what proved to be the victory goal, as at 19:25 Bauer scored on a direct kick off an assist from freshman Richard Lander.

Soccer is one of those games where you can run, but you can’t hide, a sport where the focus suddenly switches from the ranging play on the field to a netted cage, as a lone goalie faces shots from all quarters, exposed to the world – win or lose, the outcome of the match is in his hands.

Both squads came to play with a pair of hard-charging keepers: in one corner a second year senior captain named Austin Sauer for the home team, while on the other side of the field, Trevor Goldstein, a 12th gradecaptain anchored the net for the visitors.

“Austin Sauer is learning on the run,” said Bulldogs coach Debbie Owen. “He still hasn’t seen all the types of shots fired his way.”

John Maranzana, coach of the Panthers booters, said of Goldstein, a keeper known for his horizontal dives across the cage to deflect shots, “He made some super saves.”

But in real life even superman misses the ball sometimes, as in the wake of a couple of “super saves” in the second frame, a direct kick found its way home for the winning goal.

“We played a great second half, and really rebounded,” said Maranzana of the ebb and flow of the match. “I think we dominated for the first 25 minutes, but then it came down to a defensive lapse…a guy was a unmarked in the box on a free kick, [and] that took the wind out of our sails…it was like a punch in the gut.”

Owen described her current band of booters as a young team, who plays a scrappy brand of soccer and who doesn’t believe in giving up. “It’s not always clean, but they’ve got good ideas and mental tactics…the rest will come.”

To see more photos from the game or to purchase prints visit Sullivan West vs. Monticello Boys Varsity Soccer 9/4/2009 at the Chronicle on Zenfolio.